Fish Oil

I take Fish Oil Capsules a couple of times a day, and find that it helps with elevating my mood and with alleviating aches and pains in the joints, especially my Ankles and Knees that get a good workout with all the Cardio that I do.

Fish oil has become more popular within the last 30-40 years in Western cultures, despite being relied on for its nutritional benefits for centuries by Eskimos and the Inuit people.

If you were to talk about fish oil in the late 18th century, most people would talk about the oil that oozed out of the liver of cod; it was black, thick and vile, but it was a miracle cure for arthritis, amongst other ailments.  Fast forward a couple centuries and manufacturers started extracting fish oil from the surface of the fish – this was done by boiling the fish and separating the Fish Oil that rose to the top of the boiler.

This process was further refined via fractional distillation (a similar process is used for petrol) able to deliver an ultra-concentrated omega-3 fatty acid that could be enclosed in a gelatin capsule.

That is how we have arrived at the Fish Oil capsules that are so prevalent now.

What’s so special about Fish Oil?

Fish Oil is rich in “good fats”, EPA and DHA which unlike saturated fats found in deep fried foods and most take-away food, is actually good for your heart.  These good fats in Fish Oil also have the added benefit of not only lowering the chance of depression and anxiety, but also speeding up the recovery of people who suffer from depression.

These are only two of the seven benefits that fish oil provides for the human body.  Fish oil may also combat cancer and along with lowering the chance of depression, has been demonstrated to have positive effects on neurodegenerative diseases that come with old age, namely Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.

Because Fish Oil is able to keep the body in such good shape mentally and and physically, it is a super supplement, hence its yearly world-wide production being close to 500,000 tonnes!

What are the benefits of Fish Oil?

Although Fish Oil works wonders for the heart, people who suffered from ventricular arrhythmias showed little progress after taking the supplement regularly in a study during 2008.  It will however positively impact sufferers of coronary heart disease, people who suffer from high blood pressure and hypertriglyceridemia, which is increased levels of fatty plaque that can accumulate in blood vessels.  It may also prevent secondary cardiovascular disease.

With regards to depression, a study done in China during 2004 showed that people who had attempted to take their own lives had lower than average levels of eicosapentanoic acid in their blood – which is one of the main fatty acids found in fish oil.

The positive effect of fish oil even extends to schizophrenia.  A study done at the Orygen Research Centre, an affiliate of The University of Melbourne found that “high-risk” youths aged 13-24 given fish oil capsules had less chance of developing schizophrenia than compared to those who took a placebo instead; only 3% developed the disorder in the former, while 28% developed it in the latter.

Studies in both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease are incomplete, but show promising signs of slowing down the degenerative effects of these diseases.

Lastly, there have been several studies that show that the fatty acids found in fish oil reduce and slow down cancer cell growth. The other main fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid, reduces risk of breast cancer, so much so that in a study of 35,000 middle-aged women, a third of them had a lower risk of developing breast cancer.

What are Fish Oil Side Effects?

Just like the majority of supplements, there are trace elements of compounds which, in high concentration, would be toxic to humans. Fish oil is no exception.  Organic toxins called PCBs exceeded human consumption limits about 5 years ago, in early 2006 prompting several well-named brands to be withdrawn from the European market.

Since then, there have been patented production purification processes that have been developed to remove excess pollutants from the fish oil to satisfy UK standards.

It should also be known that the the Fish Oil products that were withdrawn were derived from cod oil from fish liver, which had a higher level of organic toxins than Fish Oil products that came from the skin of the fish.

As with any supplement or sudden change to your diet, you should consult your Doctor and discuss your individual situation.

Where do you buy Fish Oil Capsules?

You can find Fish Oil Capsules from any Pharmacy or Health Food Supplier.  I tend not to buy the cheaper ones, and look for ones that mention they have tested for levels of mercury and other heavy metals that can exist in some fish stocks.